He may not understand everything, but he’s most likely picked up on something.
“Thank you, Sir,” I say as I feel my eyes begin to water.
“You should have come to me, Lily. Whatever is happening at home, whatever it is, I could’ve helped.”
“Yes, Sir,” I say, simply to placate him so he doesn’t feel any responsibility for how my dad has treated me.
But in truth, how could anyone have helped me with the hell-hole that was my home?
“Take these and look at them. Come into my office first thing in the morning, and we’ll make the phone call together,” he says as he stands, offering me the pile of full scholarships. I eye the other pile, but I know without a full scholarship I won’t be able to go to university.
I tuck them into the new bag Mrs. Hackly bought me, and I walk out of Mr. Murphy’s office.
For the first time in as long as I can remember, I can breathe. I can take a step toward tomorrow and know tonight won’t be filled with words of hate.
“Hey, sweetheart. How was your day?” Trent greets me at the bus stop.
“Good. Actually, really good,” I enthusiastically answer.
Trent wraps his arms around me and gives me a kiss on my cheek. “Really good, huh? Tell me about it.” We start walking toward his home.
“I got offered full scholarships to four universities. Actually, I got offered more, but these four are full scholarships.”
“What? That’s fantastic. Wait…” he stops talking, going perfectly quiet as we keep walking home. “You’re not leaving me, Lily,” his tone changes and he sounds angry. “Unless one of those universities is the same as the one I’m going to, you’re not allowed to go.” He sounds angry with me.
“Not allowed to go? What do you mean?” I ask.
Trent lets go of my hand and walks away from me. He stops a few feet away, and puts his hands on his hips. He’s really angry with me. “You’re not going if I’m not with you, end of fucking story, Lily.”
“What?” I still don’t know what I’ve done wrong.
“I’m not going to have you running around sucking another guy’s cock when you should be with me.”
Wait…what did he say? “I’ve never done that,” I say as I take a step closer to him. He counters with one step back and my eyes go to his hands. I see them closed into fists and my heart beats faster.
I take a cautious step back, completely aware of how Trent’s body is reacting. This is how Dad would get before the insults would start, sometimes followed by his fists.
“Just don’t think you’re ever going to leave me,” he says, his tone somewhat calmer. “I’ll never let you go, Lily.” He relaxes his hands and he takes a step toward me.
I take another step back, frightened he may hurt me.
“Don’t move away from me. I promise, I won’t hurt you. I like you too much to hurt you,” he whispers as he takes another step toward me, closing the gap. “I’m sorry if I scared you, it’s just that I need you close to me, do you understand? I need to keep you safe, so I know no one can hurt you.”
When we get home, Mrs. Hackly is folding the washing. “Hello. Need some help?” I ask as she’s folding someone’s dark shorts.
“No, dear. How about I make you kids something to eat? You must be hungry?” She finishes folding the shorts, puts them in a pile, and goes into the kitchen before Trent or I can say anything to her.
“Hey. Let’s go to my room and have a look at which university you’re going to go to.”
“Your mom is getting us food ready.”
“Don’t worry about that, we’ll eat at dinner, let’s go.” He starts tugging me up the stairs.
“Let me tell your mom, so she doesn’t waste her time.”
“Don’t worry about her, she’ll figure it out.”
“Trent, please,” I beg, looking up at him.
He takes a deep breath, rolls his eyes and gives me a half nod. “Hurry up,” he instructs, in a grumpy voice.
I run into the kitchen just to let Mrs. Hackly know Trent and I are upstairs in his room, looking over university applications. She slumps her shoulders slightly and nods, looking at me from what she was doing with a slight sad smile.
“Come on,” Trent yells.
“Are you okay?” I ask as I take a step toward her.
“I’m fine, dear. Go ahead. I’ve got to finish folding the laundry and get started on dinner.” She smiles again, but the warmth doesn’t reach her eyes.
I simply nod and go back to Trent who’s waiting for me on the staircase.